~ Village Teacher – The Book & Photographs

East Point Lighthouse

Looking for a photography subject that was not constantly moving like birds, I went to the East Point Lighthouse in Heislerville, NJ on the Delaware Bay near the mouth of the Maurice River. Built in 1849, it is the second oldest lighthouse in the state. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1971, restored in 1979, and reactivated in 1980.

East Point Lighthouse

East Point Lighthouse

East Point Lighthouse

After Superstorm Sandy there has been some concern that the lighthouse may not survive the forces of nature unless something is done to reinforce the land surrounding it. The following scenes of the beach around the lighthouse show how close the ocean is and how easy it would be for another major storm to bring down the lighthouse.

Beach at East Point Lighthouse. Look closely (click to enlarge) and you will see upturned horseshoe crabs on the sand.

A beautiful lighthouse! Are there preservation programs to keep historical places like this from being destroyed?
I miss leaving near the beach – that feeling of sand between your toes and the sea breeze washing over you!

There are recommendations to either reinforce the shore, or relocate the lighthouse to a safer place inland. However 35 to 50 percent of the cost must be raised locally, with the government funding the rest. Up to now, nothing has been decided on. Thank you Celia for visiting and commenting! Sand and sea breeze, that’s the life.

Thanks Tiny. I try to do my share to help these horseshoe crabs whenever I can. However, sometimes there are red knots monitors that prevent people from coming close, and that’s where one can see hundreds of crabs upturned and dying in the sun.

Normally, if they can’t flip themselves over they just lay there and die. During horseshoe crab season, the smell of their decaying bodies can be quite strong at the shore, especially for those who live nearby. Thank you Sukanya.

Thank you for helping the crabs, Neihtn. I wonder why they were turned upside down. Does that happen with the ebb and flow of the tide? And your images are wonderful, especially drawn to the third one where the plant life is about the same shade of color of the lighthouse itself. Amazing contrast! Love, Amy ❤

The crabs occasionally get flipped over by waves, especially when they climb over one another in the frenzy of mating. Some manage to turn themselves over with the help of more waves, or if the tide is going down they just lay there helpless and eventually die. Thanks, Amy for visiting and commenting.